Educational toy and display device



Dec. 16, 1930 c. FISHER ET AL 1,735,442

EDUCATIONAL TOY AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 12, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 16, 1930. c. FISHER ET AL 1,785,442

EDUCATIONAL TOY AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 12 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 16; 1930. c. FISHER ET AL EDUCATIONAL TOY AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Sept. 12 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 VII/[((Illllftli @0672 C arzes 35%87 CZarZiafl g a I Patented Dec. 16, 1930 CHARLES FISHER, on NEW Yoamnivn census 1). .rrsrraa,

or BEACOLL-NEW YORK;

L. STEW QRT GATI'ECR EXECUTOR" OF SAID-CHARLES FISHER, DECEASED iEDUCATIoN AL TO'Y AND D QQ Application filed September 12, 1,925. Serial No. 55,360.

This invention relates particularly toa disdevice which is adaptedto beused by 'ilay children, as well asby adults. 7 The device is in thenature of a toy picture-displaying device, but may be usefully employedfor educa- 1 1011211 purposes.

The primary object'is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character which can be readily operated by a child, and

in which permits of the ready-removability of the endless display strip,-or-film,=and the insertion of a fresh film. r V

A further object isto provide a device of this character which is so'constructed as to .5 facilitate the making of copies of designs, or pictures, or the like, appearing on the display strip,with which the machine is provided.

The'invention comprises, in the preferred construction, a small rectangular cabinet, the

so main portion of which serves as a receptacle for the film, or flexible strip, which forms in loops, or folds, therein; a pairof frictionrolls located in the upper portion of the cabi net serving to feed the film, the main roll being equipped 'with a crank; an inclined window at the upper front portion of the cabinet;

and a film-guide which may serve also as a lamp-housing, or reflector, interposed between said window and the film-feeding rolls, said housing being open at its front end to permit the rays of light to passthrough the film, or picture-strip, as the'latter is fed past the window.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred 3:) embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which i r r Fig. 1 represents a broken front el'evational view of our improved display'device; Fig. 2,

a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a planse'ctlonal VIEW;

taken as indicated at line 3 8 of Fig. 2; Fig.

, a plan section taken as indicated atline H of Fig. '2;' Fig. '5, a'fro-nt' perspective view of the lamp-housing, or 'shielCL-yemployed Fig. 6, abroken'sectional view taken as indicated at line 6 of Fig. 4, this'view illustrating "a device'for' preventing reverse rota-j tion of the main feed-roller; Fig. 7, a frag- Inenta-ryview of the ends of the picture strip connected together; Fig. 8, a

broken plan;

view illustratingthe 'manne'r in'which the picture-stripmay'bemounted on a roll when it is notin' use; Fig. 9, afragmentary edge View of the end portions ofthe strip; Fig. 10, a broken sectional view of the storage-rolhthe .section'beingtaken as-indicated at line 10 of Fig. 8; and Fig, 11, a transverse sectional view of the storage-'rolltaken as indicated at linell of Fig. 8.

*ln'the, preferred construction which is 60 illustrated, A designates a cabinet; B,acombined lamp housing and film-guide which is mounted inthe upper front portion of the cabinet;C, amain frictionfeed-roll which is mounted back of the device B and with which c0a cts aspring-held idle-roll G; and D, an

endless picture-strip, which, for brevity,- may be termed an endless strip;

The'cabinet A may be ofjany suitable size and construction. It'may, for example, be- 7 a cabinet havinga height of about ten inches,

a width of about six inches, and a depth from front to rear of about eight inches; and, preferably, the cabinet is provided with a rear wall 1, side walls 1*; abottom wall 1 a top 7 wall 1 and alower front wall section 1 which fits freely between the front portions of the side walls and is hinged to the front portion-of the bottom wall as indicated at 2. Preferably, also, the upper front cornerof the cabinet is cut away; and the lower front wall section l 'has securedto its'upper margin a metal plate 3 which sets in an inclined position and serves as a window frame. The

plate 3 maybe stamped from sheet-metal and #7 provided with an opening 4 of suitable dimensions. At the margins of this opening. the metal is stamped forwardly, as indicated at 4 'and'in themarginal'recess'thus provided, there 'is fitted a plate 5 of transparent no material,- preferably of celluloid. It is'p-re-j ferred to employ celluloid and provide the sheet, or'plate, with a series of marginal 'perforationsfi through which pass clenching lugs 6 which areformed integrally with the plate 3.;These clenching lugs pass rearwardly through the sheet of celluloid and are, bent outwardly at the rear surfacehof the celluloid sheet. i

The low r marginal portion of t'he man-m plate 3 is provided with a vertical attaching portion 3 which is secured as by means of screws 7 to the-upper margin of the door- The means for feeding'the film is exceed ingly simple and highly effective. Such means comprises the friction'jfeed-roll C and theco-acting spring-pressed idle-roll C. The roll C preferably comprises a cylindrical "wooden piece 9 and a pair of friction sleeves 10, preferably ofrubber, fitted on the member 9, Oneend of the member 9 is provided with a bore 9 which serves as a bearing for a nail, or trunnion, 11, which extends through one of the side walls of the cabinet.

The other end of the member 9 is provided with a borein which is fitted aplug-like trunnion 12 whose outer end is ,journalled in the corresponding side wall of lhe cabinet. The member 12 is provided with a tapped bore which receives the threaded shank of a crank 13. The screw connection -'at this point" employs a right-handed thread, the connection being sufli'ciently loose to allow the crank to unturn in the event an effort is 'made to*work the crank in a direction reverse tort-hat indicated by the arrowin Fig.2.

The idle-roll'C is'gprovided witha-s'haft 14 which is journalledin a bearing 15 with which aleaf spring 16 is equipped. The end portions of the shaft 14 are provided with enlargements 14* whic'hco-act with the rubber sleeves 10 of the main feed-roll C.

Thefront end of the leaf spring 16 is securedby screws 17 to'the underside of the front portion 'ofthe cabinettop 1. The

- spring has a rearward and downwardin'clinat1on,-and has ail-extension 16 Wl'llGlI projectsto a point near the rear wall of the cabinet. v r

The combination film-guide V and lamphousing B-preferably comprises a sheet-metal member having. arear wall 18, atop wall 19, and a bottom wall20 The walls 19 and 20 areforwardly divergent, and; the upper-wallf is shorter'than the-lower wall. The housing; maybe-formed from'a strip of sheet m'etal which provides thejre'ar corners 21 and -22. These *portionsare supported by; nails 23' which extend inwardly from the side-walls. Themetal at the fr'ont'edge of the upper wall 19 is formed to provide-ahead 19? and; the metal atsthe-front' edge ofthe wall 20 is" formed to provide a bead 20. The-member B is supported at-thesefpointsfbynails 24 which extend through the side :wallsofthe "cabinet and into'the rolls;?pr;beads,- 19 and 20*, as will be best understood from Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the sheet-metal lamp-housing B is without end walls, except as end walls are provided by the side walls of the cabinet. One of the side walls is pro ,vided with an opening-25 in which is fitted a lamp-socket 26 which supports a lamp-bulb 27. The lamp is thus located within the housing B. The housing may be formed of aluminum, tin, or other bright metal, so that it'wi-ll serve as a'refiector. I

As will beunderstood from Figs. 2 and 4. an"intermediate-portion of the metalof the wall 18 of the member B is sheared and virtually forms an extension 28 of the lower wall 20. g This extension 28 projects into the space between the sleeves 10 of the feed-roll C and serves as a guard to prevent the film from entering-the space between the feed-roll C andthewall 18. v r r It will be noted from Fig. 2 thatthe film D extends inan upwardly a-ndrearwardly'inclined' position adjacent the window and is supported at the upper and lower edges of the window by the rolls 19 and 20 which thus serve as guides forthe film. The upper and lower walls 19 and 20 also serve as guide surfacesfor the film. The width of the film is substantially equal to the interior width of the cabinet, so that theedges of the film are at all times in guidingcontact with-the side wallsof the cabinet."- Z

The" film preferably is of good quality paper whichis'easilyfiexed, but which possesses the requisite degree o-fstiffness and resilience to Eenablethe friction feed-rolls to force the issuing strip to form in a series of folds at the-rearupper portion of the cabinet and tend to work the folds, or loops, downwardly andyforwa-rdy, sothe strip will be drawn readily: over the guide-members 20 and 19 and be presented as a transparent, or translucent medium back of the window so that rays'of light'from'the lamp 27 can project through the film, and thus cause the pic torial illustrations, reading matter, etc., carried by the film, to be seen clearly by an ob server viewing the film through the window.

The film may have pictures, designs, illustrated stories, etc. arranged serially thereon; or any desired printed matter may be carried It is preferred to extend a small rod, or stilf wire, 29 across the frontportion of the cabinet just back of the door-section 1 and'a short distance beneath the guide-bead 20 and to havethe film pass'ba-ck of the member 29a-nd in front. ofthe member 20; the disposition of these members being suchas to produce a curve in the film and causea suitable degree of friction at a pointFwherethe-film passes to the observation area; 'The'folds of the film also press the film against the lower and front walls of the cabinet in such a way as to produce a 'certa-iniamo'lint of friction. This byLett-ers Patent isz missible in view of the rior art.

' 'VVhat we regard as new, and deslre to secure claims should'be construed broadly a per 1. In a machine of the'character 'set forth; the combination of a cabinet provided-at its I upperffrontportion with" a windowQ-ja filmthe combination'of a cabinet providedat its. upper front portion-with-a-window, a lamp housing supported the upper front-porguide inthe upper portion of saidc'abinet and open to said? window and pro]ect1ngfrearwardlytherefrom and affording an upper film-confining wall, the spa-cebelow said wall? servingtoreceive thefilm folds,- an endless film passing-between said'bfilm-guide and said window; and africtiongfeed device hack of said "film-guidev'serving to draw'the film through the passage between said window and said film-guide and-force it to. form in folds the ciha'rhcter set forth,

tion of said: cabinet and" open to" said window and proj ecting rearwardlv therefrom and affording an upper overhanging film-00111111 ing, wall, an endless ;fi1m-"pass1n between said' lanip housing and said" window, and a friction feed device back of-and'adj acent the rear portion'of said lamp hou'sing serving to .7 draw the film through the. passage between: said window and saidfilamp-housing and'form it jintofoldsas it issues from the fiiiction -feed i deviceadjacent the rear wall of theoabinet,

the space below thelainp-housi'ng' andi inc;

' tion-fee'd device serving as a" container for" thef fo'ldedfilm," 1 v M .7 In amachineofthecharacter'set forth,

thefcombination of a cabinet providell at a 1 a rearwa'r y all 1 .e p ar y ined n oww p Supported film guide belng prov ded wlth forwardly d1- 7 upper front portionwith in said cab n ck; idiw d'ow, film- I guidingmeansdisposed adjacent the window but spaced therefrom and projecting rear? wardly fromsaid windowffand affordingjanj upper overhanging film-'c'onfiningwall',

endless film passing between said window and said:film guidingfmeans, and a friction-feed devicejs ervingto' draw the throughfiiche l s ace.'between'saidwindowandsai inf-i i. V iiidin means and dischar'ge' itinjfolds3jthe Will-ch thus 31 the es-Wal er ea 91 1 lower portion of the cabinetserving, as a con lower portion 0ft fine thefolds 0f the mm;

4. In a macli'ine'lof' he front-portion'provi ded with an upwardlvand rearwardly inclined window; a. combined lamp c-housing rand-reflector disposed back of said ;w,indo wrfan d projecting rearwardly;

5 therefrom and alfordingan upper overhang 1 surfaces at the front ends housing. f 1- I haraetersetiforth; e the combination of a cabinet having its upper ing film-confining wall and adapted to emit light through the'window, a lamp in said housing, a friction-feed device supported in the upper portion of the cabinet backof said housing, and an endless'fihn passingthrough thespace' between saidwindow and said hous ing and tlirough saidffriction-feed device; said. friction-feed device serving to force thefilni to form in folds which occupy thespace in the cabinet beneath said housing and'said friction-feed device. i e j V I j.

5; A machine of the character 'setfforth in claim 1' characterized by a friction-feed dc vicedisposed back of the film-guide and comprising only a main friction-roll journalled in theside walls of thecahinet and a co-oper ating'spring-held friction-roll.

'6. A. machine of the'character 'setforthlin claim lcharacterized by the friction-feed de.-' vice comprising only a main friction-feed roll journalled in the side walls 'of'the cabinet; a co-operating'spring held friction-roll, and a crank connected with onezend of themain friction-roll so as to; impart rotation thereto in one direction only." V 7 '7. A, machine of the characetr set forth in;

j claim 1 characterizedby a mainfriction-roll.

equipped with yielding rubbersleeves andpa co-operating spring held idle friction-roll adapted to press the filmagalinst said sleeves. 8.' A"machine offthe character set forth in claim 1 in which "the friction-feed; device is characterized 'by' a main friction-roll disposed back of the film-guide and a' co-operating idle friction-r'ollis mounted on aleaf spring whichis'secured at its front end to the upper" front portion ofthe, cabinet; a passage bein g afforde'dbetween said leaf-spring and the upper wall of the film-guide through which the film may pass. I V 9. A machine of thecha'rajcter set f forth in claim 1' characterized byithe" window being inclined rearwardly and: upwardly and the vergent top and; bottom walls with rounded 9'? id a la ing asfilm-guides. r w I l0; Ainachine offthe-character' set'forth in claim 1 characterized loythefilm-guide con stituting alamp housing-formed of sheetmetal'a'nd' presenting an upper wall, a rear 7 wall andfa bottom wall', said lamp-housing extending' 'between the side walls of the "cabinet" claim 11 characterized by the film-guide hav-" and ace-operating friction-feedidle roll car- 'rea'r wallbf thecabine't;

miner-61} e f-Qldd l 11. "A machin ff-the character set forth 1nv e 'cablingt *Wlilgj? d, ing= inclined upper" and-bottom walls, and

' characterized'further bythe friction feed de-- vice comprising the 'main friction-feed roll rie d by n in lin d; pr Se ured "t e upper front'portion Qfthe cabinetandhavmg 12. A machine comprising a cabinet provided at its upper front portion with an in clined window, a combined lamp-housingv and reflector disposed back of said window, a lamp in said housing, said lamp-housing having an upwardly and forwardly inclined upper wall and a downwardly and forwardly inclined lower wall, film-guides at the front ends of said walls, an endless film passing between the window and said guides and having folds occupying the space in said cabinet below said housing, and a friction-feed device comprising a main friction-feed roll journalled in the side walls of the cabinet, a self-releasing crank adapted to impart'rotation in one direction only to said feed-roll, and a co-operating spring-held friction-roll disposed above the main feed-roll, said film' extending between said rolls. V

13. A machine of the character set forth in claim 12 characterized by a guard device adapted to prevent the film from' entering the space between the rear portion of said housin and said main feed roll. i

14. machine of the character set forth in claim 12 characterized by'film-fleXing friction means at the lower front portion of said housing. 7

15. A machine of the character set forth consisting of a cabinet provided at itsupper front portion with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined window, a film-guide disposed back of said window and consisting of a top wall, a 'bottomwall and a connecting rear web, said film-guide being open at its front and at its ends, connections between the ends of said film-guide and the side walls of the cabinet, and a friction-feed device mount- .ed in the rear upper'portion of said cabinet and serving as the solemeans of drawing a -film' upwardly past the window, back over said film-guide and downwardly into the lower part of the cabinet, said friction-feed device consisting only of a main feed-roll and a co-operating spring-held friction roll.

16. A machine of the character set forth consisting of a cabinet provided at its upper front portion with a window, a lamp-housing disposed back of said window and consisting of a top wall, a bottom wall and a connecting rear web, said lamp-housing being open at its front and at its ends, connections between the ends of said lamp-housing and'the side walls of the cabinet, a lamp mounted in said housing, a friction-feed device mounted in the rear upper portion of said cabinet and serving as the sole actuating means, a film having a portion extending between said window and said housing and through said friction-feed device and having folds confined in the lower portion of the cabinet in the space beneath a said lamp-housing and friction-feed device, and means for turning said friction-feed device in such direction as to draw the film upwardly past the window andforce it to form in folds adjacent the rear wall of the cabinet back of the friction-feed device.

feed device back of said reflector, and an endless film passing between said window and said reflector and over the top of sald reflector to said frictlon-feed device, sald film havinglfolds occupying the space of the cabinet beneath said reflector and said device,

friction-feed 18; A machine of the character set forth,

comprising a cabinet having a hinged front wall comprising a window at its upper portion, a'lamp-socket mounted in a side wall of said cabinet back of'said window, a reflector mounted between the side walls of said cabinet, a lamp mounted in said socket and dis posed within said reflector, a friction-feed de-.

vice mounted in the upper portion of said cabinet backof said reflector and having'a shaft extending through a side wall of the a cabinet, an endless film passing between said window and said reflector and thence through said friction-feed device, and means-for turn-- ting said shaft 111 such direct on only as to draw the film upwardly past said window and force it to form in folds and occupy the space of the cabinet beneath said reflector'and' said friction-feed device.

19. A machine of the character set forth, comprising a cabinet provided, at, its upper front portion with an upwardly and rearwardlyinclined window which may serve as a support for an exteriorly placed copy sheet,

, a reflector spacedadjacent said window, filmguiding means adjacent said window over which a film may be stretched adjacent the window, a lamp in said reflector, an endless film supported on'said film-guiding means, and film-feeding means mounted in the rear upper portion of said cabinet and adapted to draw a film past said window, said film-feeding means serving, to cause said film to issue and form in folds which occupy the lower portion of said'cabinet. v

20. A machine of the character set forth. in claim 1 in which thefriction-feed device is characterized a main friction-roll, a handle adapted to turn said roll in one direction only, and a spring-held wedge device adapt-V ed to prevent retrograde movement of said 

